LIS 313: PLANNING AND DESIGN OF INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURES

Course Outline

Aims of the Course

The course aims to equip students with planning and designing skills focusing on
development of information infrastructures in various environments.

Objectives of the Course

On completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. describe planning for information infrastructures;

2. understand the information flow patterns in different organizational structures;
and
3. design the library and/or other information systems set-up using different types of
buildings.

Course Content
 Concepts of
◊ Information
◊ Environment and
◊ Development

 Philosophy of service interaction with other services and overall policy of

parent institution
◊ Meaning of philosophy of service interaction
◊ Legal basis of Library government and its services
◊ Policy of the parent institutions and service interaction

 Planning and design of library-type buildings

◊ Meaning of planning
◊ Planning and designing Library; things to consider
◊ Steps in planning a Library Building
◊ Designing Library Building; things to consider
◊Equipments and Furniture

 Designing of different information provision infrastructures

◊ The perspective of information infrastructure
◊ Basic Issues in Information infrastructure
◊ Elements of information infrastructure
◊ Designing of information infrastructure; Things to consider

 The objectives and principles of physical planning, design, service and

function

◊ Objectives of physical planning

◊ Principles of physical planning
◊ Principles governing the design of information infrastructure

 Study of different types of building

◊ Different types of library buildings

◊ Why study different types of library buildings

 Study of information users’ special requirements

◊ Different information users’ special requirements

◊ Why study of information users ‘special requirements
 Financial planning: basics of accounting, budgeting, cost management, cost-
benefit and cost-effectiveness

◊ Financial planning; things to consider

◊ Factors affecting financial planning of the Library building
◊ Basics of accounting
◊ Budgeting
◊ Cost management
◊ Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness

 The role of library building committee in planning and decision-making

activities
◊ Role of architects
◊ Role of librarians
◊ Role of Consultants
Reading List
Hawkins, J. G. (2000). Cost accounting: A managerial emphasis, 10th ed. New Jersey:
Prentice Hall.

Horton, F. W. (1994). Analyzing benefits and costs: A guide to information managers.

Ottawa: International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Koory, J. L. & Medley, D. B. (1987). Management information systems: Planning and

decision-making. Cincinnati: South-Western Publishing.

Materu-Behitsa, M. (1994). “Information support system for education planning (ISSEP)

in Tanzania.” MSc Thesis, Addis Ababa University.

Seetharama, S. (1990). Guidelines for planning of libraries and information centres.

Calcutta: IASLIC.

Assessment of Students
(a) Monitoring Performance
In order to make genuine assessment of student’s performance he/she must have attended
at least 75% of the lectures.

(b) Assessment of Performance

(i) Coursework comprises the following:
Take-home assignments & Presentation .......…..….…..30%
Mid- semester test…….……. ...………………………….…20%
(ii) Final examination….……………..………………………..50%
Total……………100%
(c) A student, however, must get at least 40% of the final examination in order to pass.
(d) The overall pass mark is 50%.